Framework Conditions in France

Inhaltsverzeichnis

The French Labour Code

Already in 1983, the first obligations for companies to report on equal pay have been put into place. Today, each company with more than 50 employees is obliged to publish a yearly report, in which all measures to promote gender equality and equal pay as well as goals for the coming year have to be listed.

Furthermore, employees are entitled to ask for information related to their remuneration and job classification.

Gender Wage Gap and Job Evaluation

Since 2001, gender issues and gender-neutral job classification in collective bargaining is obligatory by law. Further, since 2006, it is compulsory for companies and trade union to negotiate a plan fostering gender equality within the respective company.

Since 2011, companies with more than 50 employees are obliged to have a gender equality strategy on how to close the gender gap within the company.

In 2013, the first violations against the provisions on equal pay have been notified. Both firms were fined and had to equalise the wages for women and men.

Equal Pay Measures

In 2018, the French government announced to introduce a mandatory analysis for companies with more than 50 employees and to developed a suitable software solution. With this tool, companies shall calculate their wage gaps and reveal the main reasons behind the gaps. In this regards, companies are obliged to develop a plan how to decrease the gender pay gap and to enforce gender equality within the company. Companies that are not complying in reducing their wage gaps shall be fined. Furthermore, the government plans als contains measures to strengthen equal pay as part of union work and tariff negotiations.

The French government has announced these plans. Concrete measures shall follow in late 2018.

Parental Leave

In 2015, a parental leave system has been introduced allocating mandatory times of up to six months for both parent to spend with their children. Furthermore, the law introduced that employers are not allowed for reject parental leaves.